May 17

Monday 17, 2004:

Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts.

Saturday 17, 2003:

Mozilla Firefox. Browser renamed from Phoenix to Firebird.

Monday 17, 1999:

Ehud Barak is elected prime minister of Israel.

Wednesday 17, 1995:

After 18 years as the mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac takes office as President of France.

Sunday 17, 1992:

In Thailand, the so-called Black May begins. Thai police and protestors start attacking one another. By midnight, the current Thai government declares a state of emergency, and military troops, equipped with M-16 rifles, open fire.

Sunday 17, 1987:

Iran-Iraq War: The USS Stark (FFG-31) is struck by a missile from an Iraqi Mirage fighter killing 37 and injuring 21 of her crew.

Thursday 17, 1984:

Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend," sparking controversies on the proper role of the Royal Family and the course of modern architecture.

Tuesday 17, 1983:

Lebanon, Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

Saturday 17, 1980:

General Chun Doo-hwan of South Korea declares martial law in order to suppress student demonstrations.

Friday 17, 1974:

Thirty-three people are killed by terrorist bombings in Dublin and Monaghan, Ireland.

Thursday 17, 1973:

Watergate scandal: Hearings begin in the United States Senate and are televised.

Sunday 17, 1970:

Thor Heyerdahl sets sail from Morocco on the papyrus boat Ra II to sail the Atlantic Ocean.

Saturday 17, 1969:

Venera program: Soviet Venera 6 begins its descent into the atmosphere of Venus, sending back atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure.

Wednesday 17, 1967:

Six-Day War: President Abdul Nasser of Egypt demands dismantling of the peace-keeping UN Emergency Force in Egypt.

Monday 17, 1954:

The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.

Wednesday 17, 1944:

Type IX U-boat: U-884 is launched.

Monday 17, 1943:

The United States Army contracts with the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School to develop the ENIAC.

Friday 17, 1940:

World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium.

Wednesday 17, 1933:

Vidkun Quisling and Johan Bernhard Hjort form Nasjonal Samling — the national-socialist party of Norway.

Saturday 17, 1919:

Committee of One Thousand forms to oppose Winnipeg General Strike.

Monday 17, 1915:

The last British Liberal Party government (Herbert Henry Asquith) falls.

Saturday 17, 1902:

Archaeologist Spyridon Stais finds the Antikythera mechanism.

Thursday 17, 1900:

Boer War: British troops relieve Mafeking.

Monday 17, 1875:

Aristides wins the first Kentucky Derby.

Wednesday 17, 1865:

The International Telegraph Union (the later International Telecommunication Union) is established.

Sunday 17, 1863:

Rosalía de Castro publishes Cantares Gallegos, her first book in the Galician language.

Sunday 17, 1846:

The saxophone is patented by Adolphe Sax.

Tuesday 17, 1814:

Norwegian constitution signed and the Danish Crown Prince Christian Fredrik elected King of Norway by the Constitutional assembly.

Wednesday 17, 1809:

Napoleon I of France orders the annexation of the Papal States to the French Empire.

Thursday 17, 1792:

The New York Stock Exchange is formed.

Wednesday 17, 1775:

American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress bans trade with Canada.

Wednesday 17, 1673:

Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette begin exploring the Mississippi River.

Saturday 17, 1642:

Paul Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve (1612–1676) founds the Ville Marie de Montréal.

Thursday 17, 1590:

Anne of Denmark is crowned Queen of Scotland.

Tuesday 17, 1521:

Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason.

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